The present invention relates to smoking tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco (bulk), roll your own tobacco and smokeless tobacco products, also known as xe2x80x9csnuffxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cchewing tobaccoxe2x80x9d and non-tobacco smokable or mouthable products. More particularly, a novel form of smokable cigarette, cigar and bulk tobacco, including cured and uncured leaves, non-tobacco smokables or mouthables and smokeless tobacco is disclosed which includes as additives one or more stabilized health enhancing compounds that exhibit Vitamin E activity.
Health problems associated with cigarette smoking, cigar smoking, pipe smoking and smokeless tobacco have been well publicized. In various scientific studies, cigarette smoking, cigar smoking, pipe smoking and use of smokeless tobacco have been causally linked to diseases such as lung, throat, mouth and other cancers as well as emphysema, smoker""s cough and heart disease.
Various attempts have been made to address cigarette health problems through reformulation of cigarettes. For example, special blends of tobacco have been formulated for cigarettes with reduced levels of tar and nicotine. Unfortunately, each reduction of the tar and nicotine level has been accompanied by a corresponding reduced level of smoker satisfaction requiring unhealthy longer, stronger puffs to increase smoker""s satisfaction. As such, sales of lowered tar and nicotine cigarettes, particularly those commercially classified as xe2x80x9cultra low tar and nicotinexe2x80x9d, have not lived up to expectations. More recently, efforts have been made to altogether remove additives from cigarettes. While such xe2x80x9cadditive freexe2x80x9d cigarettes may provide a purer tobacco smoke, it is unclear whether they provide any corresponding health benefits. In fact, in some cases, they have been shown to be stronger in tar and nicotine since they contain relatively more tobacco than non-additive containing cigarettes.
Attempts have also been made to insert additives into cigarettes to offset some of the hazardous substances present in tobacco. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,655 (xe2x80x9c""655 patentxe2x80x9d) recommends insertion of alcohols into the tobacco or filters of cigarettes in order to neutralize the carcinogenic effect of N-nitrosamines, such as Nxe2x80x2-Nitrosonoronicotine (NNN). According to the ""655 patent, these alcohols can be advantageously packaged with other chemicals such as Vitamins A, B, C and E. Nonetheless, in Table IV of the ""655 patent, it is taught that use of Vitamin E as a stand-alone additive (i.e., apart from an alcohol mixture) is ineffective in neutralizing NNN.
Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,026 and its companion published PCT application Ser. No. WO 95/28098, it is suggested that cigarette additives can be formed from a complex of eukaryotic cell cultures with Vitamin E or a liquid solution of natural substances of plant origin having anti-mutagenic and aromatizing properties also with Vitamin E. Nonetheless, there is no suggestion in this PCT publication that Vitamin E can have any efficacy as a stand-alone additive for cigarettes or should be used apart from such liquid solutions.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,339,558 (xe2x80x9c""558 patentxe2x80x9d) and 3,667,478 (xe2x80x9c""478 patentxe2x80x9d), Vitamin A is recommended as a primary cigarette additive to promote better health. The ""558 patent teaches that the Vitamin A should be inserted within the cigarette filtering medium in rupturable capsules, while the ""478 patent teaches that a stabilized aqueous emulsion of active Vitamin A should be applied to the tobacco in a cigarette. The ""478 patent indicates that other vitamins, such as Vitamins C, D, E etc., can be added to the Vitamin A emulsion but does not suggest that any of the other vitamins can be advantageously used as a stand-alone additive.
In a paper presented to a tobacco symposium, researchers reported an experiment involving vacuum infiltration of alpha-tocopherol during the tobacco air curing process. Wiernik et al., Effect of Air-Curing On The Chemical Composition Of Tobacco, Svenska Tobaks AB, Department Reserca, S-118 84 Stockholm, Sweden (Tobacco Chemist""s Research Conference, September 1995). While some beneficial effects were noted, the alpha-tocopherol diminished in concentration by 25% during the short curing process. As such, it does not appear that a stabilized form of alpha-tocopherol was used for this experiment.
As noted, none of this prior art suggests the use of stabilized Vitamin E, a stabilized Vitamin E analog or a stabilized Vitamin E active derivative as a stand-alone tobacco or non-tobacco product additive, much less what forms, quantities and delivery mechanisms should be used for such a stand-alone Vitamin E type additive.
The present invention provides an effective technique for adding a stabilized, substantially pure compound having Vitamin E activity to cigarettes, cigars, bulk tobacco (including leaves), reconstituted tobacco, pipe tobacco and smokeless snuff or xe2x80x9cchewingxe2x80x9d tobacco(as smokeless tobacco is commonly known) as well as to non-tobacco smokable and mouthable products. In smokable tobacco and smokable non-tobacco products, such substantially pure Vitamin E active additives have been unexpectedly found to achieve a much less irritating smoke to the mouth, throat and lungs along with Vitamin E""s antioxidant benefits. This beneficial effect may also apply to the second hand smoke irritation commonly experienced by non-smokers. In smokeless tobacco, substantially pure Vitamin E active additives have been unexpectedly found to reduce irritation to the cheeks, gums, palette, throat and esophagus.
In a preferred embodiment, a substantially pure, xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d powdered analog of Vitamin E, known as d-alpha tocopheryl acid succinate or Vitamin E acid succinate, is mixed directly with the tobacco used in smokable or smokeless tobacco during the manufacturing process or directly into smokable non-tobacco products. This Vitamin E analog can also be inserted or mixed into mixtures of lamina tobaccos, reconstituted tobacco and lamina tobacco mixed with reconstituted tobacco as well as into a cigarette filter, holder, paper or wrapper. One may also place the additive in tobacco prior to curing so long as it will remain stable enough to sustain its benefits all the way through processing and in storage. Other preferred xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d forms of Vitamin E analog which can advantageously be used with the present invention are forms of d-alpha tocopheryl acetate, d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate, d-alpha tocopherol, dl-alpha-tocopherol or natural mixed tocopherols which are spray dried on a suitable carrier (e.g., gelatin or gum acacia). Although not preferred, a common clear, viscous oily form of natural Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) or its liquid analogs can be used in the present invention so long as it is used in a way that is stabilized so as not to oxidize, metabolize or ruin the appearance and function of the cigarette. This stabilization can be accomplished through chemical micro-encapsulation or diffusing in discrete particles into the tobacco or non-tobacco product, filter or paper.